Nut-lock.



PATENTED JULY'ZS, 1907. B. A. VAN WORMER & G. W. MOUDY.

NUT LOOK.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 1. 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

BERNARD A. VAN WORMER AND GEORGE W. MOUDY, OF WEST UNITY, OHIO.

NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed November 1,1906. S rial 110- 341,666.

To all whom it may concern: E

Be it known that we, BERNARD A. VAN WORMER and GEORGE W. MOUDY, citizensof the United States, residing at West Unity, in the county of Williamsand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inNut-Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in nut locks, and moreparticularly to that class of such devices in which the nut is lockedupon the bolt.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical andeffective nut lock whereby a nut may be readily screwed upon the boltand held thereon against accidental displacement or removal and whichcan only be removed by the application of sufficient force to break thelocking means.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, as well as thestructural features by means of which they are attained, will be madeclear by an examination of the specification, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which the same reference numerals indicatecorresponding portions throughout, and in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of the complete device; Fig. 2 is a fragmentarylongitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of thethreaded end of the bolt; and Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectionalviews showing the locking pinin different positions.

Referring to the drawings by numeral 1 denotes a bolt of ordinaryconstruction formed at its threaded end with a transverse opening 2through which is adapted to slide a pawl 3 in the form of a cylindricalpin. This pin or pawl is preferably formed of some brittle metal and hasrounded ends, as shown at 4. 5 designates a nut adapted to engage thethreaded end of the bolt and having its outer end 6 square or of otherpolygonal form and its inner end formed with a circular enlargement inwhich is provided an annular cavity or recess 7. The wall of this recessis formed with ratchet teeth 8 adapted to be engaged by the pin or pawl3, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. One side or wall 9 of each of the teeth 8is straight and projects radially, while the other side or wall iscurved or slants, as shown at 10. The outer edges of these teeth arealso preferably rounded, as shown at 11, for a purpose presentlyexplained.

In operation, the nut 5 is screwed on the threaded end of the bolt untilthe teeth 8 engage the slidably mounted pin or pawl 3. Owing to therounded edges 11 of the teeth it will be seen that the pin will readilyengage the latter. As the nut is turned in the direction of the arrowsin Figs. 4 and 5 it will be observed that the teeth 8 will successivelycontact the rounded ends of the pin which latter, as it engages thecurved sides 10 of the teeth will ride up the same and be forcedupwardly through the nut until it drops in rear of the vertical walls 9of the teeth. The pin is thus reciprocated in the opening 2 in the boltuntil it contacts with the shoulder 13 formed by the bottom of thecavity or recess 7 in the nut. When the nut is turned in the reversedirection to unscrew it, one end of the pin contacts with the verticalwall 9 of one of the teeth and holds the nut against rotation. If it isdesired to remove the nut, suflicient force must be brought to bearthereon by a wrench or similar tool, to break the pin, whereupon the nutmay be unscrewed from the bolt. When the nut is replaced, a new pin issubstituted for the broken one. These pins can be made of inexpensivematerial so that the cost thereof will be very slight; and'by makingthem sufiiciently strong to withstand any ordinary strain, a practical,simple and inexpensive nut lock is provided and one whereby the nut iseffectually held against casual removal or displacement.

It is thought that from the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation andadvantages of the invention will be obvious and a further explanation isnot deemed necessary.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a nut lock, a threaded bolt having a vertically disposedtransverse opening, a nut having an annular cavity concentric with itsthreaded opening and formed in its outer side wall with an annularseries of ratchet teeth, and a pin freely slidable in the opening insaid bolt and adapted to drop by gravity into engagement with saidratchet teeth, said pin being reciprocated by said ratchet teeth whenthe nut is screwed upon the bolt, substantially as described.

2. In a nut lock, a threaded bolt having a vertically disposedtransverse opening extending entirely through the same, a pin slidablymounted in said opening and of greater length than the diameter of saidbolt, and a nut having an annular cavity concentric with its threadedopening, said cavity being formed upon its outer side wall with anannular series of ratchet teeth, each of the latter having a radiallyprojecting wall and a sloping or inclined wall, said pin being adaptedto engage said ratchet teeth and to be reciprocated transversely in saidbolt by the inclined Walls of said teeth, substantially as set forth.

3. In a nut lock, a threaded bolt having a vertically disposedtransverse opening extending entirely through the same, a pin slidablymounted in said opening, said pin having rounded ends and being ofgreater length than the diameter of the bolt, and a nut having in one ofits faces an annular cavity arranged concentric with its threadedopening, said cavity having its outer side wall formed with an annularseries of ratchet teeth, each of the latter having a radially projectingwall and an inclined or sloping Wall, the outer edges of said ratchetteeth being rounded to permit of a ready engagement of said pintherewith in the application of the nut to the bolt, substantially asshown and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a nut lock, a threaded bolt having a vertically dis- 5 posedtransverse opening extending entirely through the same, a nut having anannular cavity concentric with its threaded opening and formed in itsouter side wall with an annular series of ratchet teeth, and a pinfreely slid.- able in the opening in the bolt and of greater length than10 the diameter of the bolt whereby its lower end will project into thecavity in the nut and engage said ratchet teeth, said pin being ofbrittle material whereby it may be broken, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof We hereunto aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

BERNARD A. VAN WVORMER. GEORGE W. MOUDY; I Witnesses LOREN V. Roenns,THOMAS E. ALLEN.

